RED | Bellamy Blake

Alive

I let out a sigh as I lean over the balcony in the throne room. Looking over the world below, my worries seem to only grow. 

My people need me, but at the same time, I'm needed here. I go back and forth in my head for a while before I push off of the railing and begin walking back towards my room. 

I open the door and immediately, my hand flies to my gun. 

"Don't!" Titus shouts, the barrel of his gun staring me in the face. My eyes lower to the figure tied up on the floor and my lips part. 

"Murphy?" I ask, my legs unconsciously taking a step forward, but I stop myself. "What the hell did you do to him?" I yell, and, not caring about the gun he's pointing at me, I grab my gun from my belt. 

"Please don't do that, Hailey." He says, swallowing. I keep my gun lowered, but grasp it firmly. "Your friend was caught stealing from people on their way to the Polis market." He says. 

"I'm sorry it had to come to this Hailey. Truly I am." He continues. "But Heda will never execute her duties with you around. She values your friendship too much and respects you far too much to wipe out your people." He takes a step towards me. "To do what is right." 

"Titus, just think." I say, slipping my gun back into my belt. "She'll know that it was you." I narrow my eyes as my hand inches for one of my throwing knives. 

He shakes his head vigorously. "She'll think it was him." He says, making me glance at Murphy's bloodied face. "Skaikru weapon in the hands of a Skaikru thief. She might be angry enough to declare war!" He yells. 

"Titus, just listen to yourself." I plead. "You're her teacher, not her manipulator. If you do this, you will no longer be a true and honest teacher." I take a step forward. "You won't be worthy of Lexa." 

He shakes his head, "No! You're wrong!" He fires. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 times. He keeps pulling the trigger but all that comes out are clicking sounds. 

He emptied the clip and didn't shoot me. 

I hear the door shut to my left. I turn and see Lexa, holding her stomach. 

"Lexa!" I scream, diving to catch her, but not before throwing my knife I was holding into Titus' shoulder. He screams and falls to the ground as I cradle her head in my lap. "Clarke!" I yell as her lips are stained black from her blood. 

"You are strong." She mutters, grabbing my hand that's pressed against her wound. "You will lead your people well." She says before a smile crosses her face. "You would have made a very good successor." She murmurs as Clarke enters the room. 

"Lexa! Oh no..." She drops to the floor while Titus crawls over to us. "Hold on, please." She cries. 

"Don't be afraid." Lexa tells her as I watch Titus. Lexa turns to Titus and with cold eyes she enforces, "You will never again attempt to harm Hailey. Swear it."

"I swear it." He says. 

"I need something to stop the bleeding!" She yells, but all Titus does is tilt Lexa's head towards Clarke and cuts a small slit on the back of her neck. 

I watch, bewildered and beyond fascinated as black blood drips out of the wound, but something else falls out. A blue chip with spindle-like appendages. He encloses it in a box and puts it in his pocket. 

All the while, Clarke is crying and yelling at us for not helping her save Lexa. 

"She's gone." I say, letting her head slide out of my lap. I turn to Titus who is focused on Lexa's face. "What did you do?" I ask. 

"It's the spirit of the commander." He says. 

"It's an AI." Murphy mutters from his place on the floor, still tied up.